Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-04-06
CLOSELY CULLED >,
Exchanges Furnish Much Valu.
able and Interesting Reading
For This Page.
Alien Land Owners-Gold Dis
cover:es-General News Epi-
tomized-An Extra Session.
WHERE 1T Is WRONG.
Evil Effect Of the Alien Land Bill In
Montana.

.
Evil Effect Of the Alien Land Bin in
Montana.
When the bill restricting the own
ership Of land, by aliens in the terri
tories, passed Congress there was q
general approval by the people. IL
was naturally supposed that the
measure was duly intended TO prevent
the requirement of vast tracts Of agri-
cultural and grazing lanos by foreign
corporations, and which Ia the very
nature Of progress in this country must
soon increase in value. and eventually
become great estates owned and domi-
mated by foreigners. The bill, how
sweeping in its character that II pro-
hiblts the investment Of foreign capi-
tai in mining enterprises, and thus
instead Of being benefit II will prove
serious injury in the mining sec
tions OF the country. While the mat
ter was under consideration Delegate
Toole called the attention OF the House
to the wrong that was being done, and
while admitting acquiesence In the
fe"'Na iNabuiV vi tbt DtolCSttu
that 1t should not apply to mineral
lands. After showing the fallacy of
the argument Of the public land COM
mittee, which made the measure too
sweeping, Mr.. Toole said:
Every argument or suggestion
deduclble from the foregoing per-
tains 10 the agricultural lands OF the
United States. Ii Is designed TO pre-
vent the concentration of estates in
the hands of the few and the wealthy,
estates which by improvement and
the lapse Of time are enhanced in
value. | hold that the same rule
which applies TO this character Of es-
tates and the reason for its adoption
and enforcement does not apuly to
our mineral lands. In the first place
II Is difficult TO acquire large estates
OF this character by reason of the
fact that the government will not
part with the title TO any greater
amount that twenty acres TO one indi-
vidual, and the result Is that such
lands are never heidlin unnecessarily
large quantities by individual or
corporate purchasers. Secondly, this
character Of land can never subserve
any purpose of a home. II Is bar
rem and unproductive Of food pro.
ducts and valuable only for the
mineral IL contains. / submit that
there Is nothing in the argument of
the committee which ia tfies ex.
tending the provisions OF this bill to
the mineral lands. The bes. part Of
my life has been spent in a mineral
country, and | know how fatal to
the development and prosperity oi
the mineral regions the passage OF
this bill will be. Territories which
to-day boast Of their inexhaustible
mineral resources and furnish EN-.
ployment TO hundreds Of Thousands
OF men would be trackless, unpro
ductive wastes IL il had not been fol
foreign capital. They have invested
developed and reaped where We
would dare not, aud thus stimulated
and advanced our mineral prosper.
ity., The inhibition proposed is un,
wise, inexpedient and not justified by
any past, present OF threatened dan
ger. The development and explOra.
tiOns IT our mineral resources require
an outlay OF vast sums Of fmOney-some.
times millions of dollars before dol
lar IL received In return. These great
enterprises are Of too great magnitude
to entice private capital and home capi-
tai, always timid, seeks less hazardous
investments. Our mine owners, who
have been unable to prosecute their
Developments. have uniformaly turned
TO Europe. where accumulated capital
has ever been willing to take some
chances In the purchase and develop
ment Of such properties. But why Is
IL that su.h restrictive legislation rests
exclusively upon the territories OF the
United States? II this il good and
necessary legislation, why IL 1t no,
made applicable TO the District Of Col
umbia? NJ question Of state rights |,
involved, aud the same reasons which
apply to the territories pertain will
equal force to the District OF Columbia
Ii this measure becomes a law II ougb
to be perfected so as to include tb'
District of Columbia within its opera
tion, and the following amendmen
should be added:
provided, That this act shall no
be construed to apply to minera
laDds.u